The present invention relates to a portable card unit processing apparatus attached thereto a card unit having a storage unit to process the card unit, in particular, to a portable card unit processing apparatus being able to read/display various information (electronic money and the like) stored in the storage unit of the card unit.
Electronic money systems which enable cashless commercial transactions are developed in recent years. An IC card in which an IC (Integrated Circuit) is integrated is used as a portable medium for electronic money. There is used a portable balance display (balance reader) in order that a possessor of the IC card refers to information (for example, a balance of electronic money) stored in a memory thereof.
The balance reader comprises a card inserting opening, a contact and a display unit. The user inserts the IC card from the card inserting opening. Whereby, a contact of the IC card and the contact of the balance reader are electrically connected, and balance information or the like stored in the memory of the IC card is read out and displayed on the display unit. The balance reader is formed in such a size that the user can carry it.
There is also known an IC card reader/writer (hereinafter, referred as an IC card R/W) which reads/writes value information (electronic money or the like) stored in the memory of the IC card.
The IC card R/W comprises a card inserting opening into which the IC card is inserted, a contact, and an external communication interface for connecting to an external apparatus. The IC card R/W is connected to the external apparatus such as a personal computer or the like through the above external communication interface to read or write data stored in the memory of the IC card under control of the external apparatus.
The IC card R/W also comprises a communicating means which performs card controls such as a card activating/deactivating process, data transmission/reception between the card and the external apparatus and the like, and an IC card data transmission protocol controlling means.
Incidentally, an application function such as edition or transmission of a command to the IC card is executed under control of the external apparatus.
When the data (for example, balance information on electronic money) stored in the memory of the IC card is read/written by such the IC card R/W, the IC card R/W is connected to the external apparatus through the external communication interface and a communication cable. The user then inserts the IC card into the card inserting opening to read/write the information in the IC card under control of the external apparatus.
When handling the IC card, the user prepares a balance reader to confirm a balance of electronic money. On the other hand, in order to read/write information in the IC card, the user prepares an IC card R/W. The user uses these devices each as occasion calls.
However, preparing both of the balance reader and the IC card R/W is a considerable economical burden on the user. Additionally, a setting space to usually set the IC card R/W is required.
In the light of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable card unit processing apparatus which can display data in a storage unit of a card unit or transfer data between the card unit and an external apparatus by switching the function according to a mode of the use.
To attain the above object, a portable card unit processing apparatus of this invention is attached thereto a card unit having a storage unit to process the card unit. The portable card unit processing apparatus comprises a first communicating section for communicating with the card unit, a connecting section for being detachably connected to an external apparatus, a second communicating section for communicating with the external apparatus through the connecting section, a display section for displaying at least data read out from the storage section of the card unit through the first communicating section for card unit, and a control section for such controlling the first dedicated communicating unit and the second communicating section so as to transfer data between the card unit and the external apparatus while the external apparatus is connected to the connecting section, and controlling the first dedicated communicating section and the display section as to read out data from the storage section of the card unit and display the read-out data on the display section while the external apparatus is disconnected from the connecting section.
Accordingly, in one portable card unit processing apparatus, data transferring between the card unit and the external apparatus, and read out data from the storage section of the card unit and to display the read-out data on the display section can be switched according to conditions of connection of the external apparatus to the connecting section of the portable card unit processing apparatus. The user thus does not need to separately prepare the devices having these functions, which is economical. Additionally, it is possible to decrease a space to install the apparatus.
The control section may comprise a connection determining section for determining on the basis of a connection information signal from the connecting section whether the external apparatus is connected to the connecting section. It is thereby possible to readily determine conditions of connection of the external apparatus to the connecting section so that the operator does not need to determine a state of connection of the connecting section, which leads to improvement of the operability. When the card unit storing electronic money defined as an electronic symbol of currency in the storage section is attached while the external apparatus is disconnected from the connecting section, the control section may such control the first communicating section and the display section so as to read out balance information on the electronic money from the storage section of the card unit and to display the balance information on the display section. In a status where the external apparatus is disconnected from the connecting section, this apparatus may be used to display balance information on electronic money.
The portable card unit processing apparatus may comprise a save storage section being able to hold at least part of information stored in the storage section of the card unit, and the control section may such control the first communicating section as to read out the at least part of information from the storage section of the card unit and store the at least part of information in to the save storage section when the card unit is attached with the apparatus while the external apparatus is disconnected from the connecting section, thereby saving the at least part of information in the storage section of the card unit in the save storage section. It is therefore possible to hold the at least part of information even when the storage capacity of the storage section of the card unit is small.
When the card unit is attached to the apparatus while the external apparatus connected to the connecting section, the control section may such control the second communicating section to transfer the at least part of information stored in the save storage section to the external apparatus. When a request to transfer the at least part of information is received from the external apparatus, the control section controls the second communicating section to transfer the at least part of information stored in the save storage section to the external apparatus. It is thereby possible to use the at least part of information in the storage section of the save unit saved in the save storage section in the external apparatus.
When the card unit storing electronic money defined as an electronic symbol of currency in the storage section is attached, transaction information on the electronic money may be read out from the storage section and stored in the save storage section, whereby the transaction information on the electronic money is saved in the save storage section. It is thereby possible to hold the transaction information on electronic money even when the storage capacity of the storage section of the card unit is small.
The save storage section may be a non-volatile memory. Even when power supply to the portable card unit processing apparatus is shut down, it is possible to protect the at least part of information held in the save storage section.